Singapore businesses lose an estimated USD7bn annually because of inefficiencies in traditional international payment systems, according to research by Airwallex and the Centre for Economics and Business Research. The Singapore cross-border payments study found that payment failures, foreign-exchange spreads, correspondent banking fees and settlement delays continue to impose significant costs on companies. The report described these inefficiencies as a “Global Growth Tariff”

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned that the world economy faces a growing global recession risk if conflict in the Middle East continues into next year and disrupts energy supplies. The OECD said prolonged instability could weaken growth, increase inflation and force central banks to maintain tighter monetary policies. Under its baseline scenario, global growth is expected to slow from 3.4% in 2025 to 2.8% in 2026 before recovering to 3.1% i

Vietnam’s securities regulator is preparing a new round of Vietnam securities reforms designed to improve market accessibility and attract additional foreign investment as the country pursues a long-term effort to upgrade its stock market status. State Securities Commission Chairwoman Vu Thi Chan Phuong said Vietnam’s stock market capitalisation had reached approximately USD410bn by mid-May, while average daily trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange stood at around U

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has upgraded its South Korea growth forecast for 2026 to 2.6% from 1.7%, citing robust semiconductor exports driven by the global artificial intelligence boom. The revised South Korea growth forecast reflects expectations that strong chip demand will continue supporting exports, investment and broader economic activity. The OECD noted that South Korea’s exports surged 53% year on year to a monthly record of USD87.8bn

Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026 will return from Nov. 2 to 6 and is expected to attract more than 45,000 participants from over 120 economies, reinforcing the city’s position as a leading global financial technology centre. The Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026 programme will feature its main conference at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Nov. 2 and 3. Organisers said the event will bring together more than 1,000 speakers, 800 sponsors, exhibitors and start-ups, as wel

Hong Kong has experienced stronger investment activity following recent conflicts in the Middle East, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. The Hong Kong capital inflows trend has been supported by international investors seeking stability and access to Asian markets. Chan told lawmakers that European and American investors accounted for approximately 40% of inflows into Hong Kong’s stock market rally since September 2024, while Southbound Stock Connect contribute

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing said 62 companies completed listings in Hong Kong during the first five months of 2026, highlighting renewed momentum in the city’s capital markets. The HKEX new listings data also showed that approximately 500 listing applications are currently under review, indicating a substantial pipeline of prospective issuers. As of May 29, Hong Kong had 2,726 listed companies, including 2,419 on the main board and 307 on GEM. During the same period, 22

Global investors are showing renewed interest in Chinese assets as rapid technological advances and lower valuations draw attention back to the world’s second-largest economy, according to JPMorgan research. The China asset investment survey found that 57% of investors were considering exposure to China, up from 51% a year earlier. Kwang Kam Shing, JPMorgan’s chairwoman for North Asia, said foreign investment allocations into Hong Kong and mainland China remain historically l

Hong Kong plans to launch a new gold-clearing system by July, moving ahead of Singapore in the race to become Asia’s leading bullion trading hub. The Hong Kong gold clearing initiative is expected to improve liquidity and strengthen the city’s role in regional gold pricing, supported by large bullion flows linked to mainland China, the world’s largest gold consumer. Hong Kong is also expanding its bullion infrastructure. SF Holding plans to develop a vault near the airport, w

Vietnam’s central bank will simplify 11 administrative procedures covering foreign exchange management from July 25, 2026, under a new circular aimed at improving efficiency and decentralising approvals. The Vietnam foreign exchange procedures reforms cover foreign borrowing, overseas lending, international bond issuance, indirect investment and foreign currency accounts held abroad. Circular No. 17/2026/TT-NHNN amends and supplements five legal documents and requires the Sta

Companies across Southeast Asia plan to allocate 81% of capital expenditure within Asia over the next three years, led primarily by ASEAN markets, according to The Business Times Insights: ASEAN Intelligence 2026 survey. The ASEAN intra-Asia investment findings were based on responses from more than 500 business leaders across the ASEAN-6 economies. All respondents said they planned additional capital deployment within Asia, with 90% focused on ASEAN markets, 77% targeting do

Taiwan’s business sentiment improved across manufacturing, services and construction last month as resilient artificial intelligence demand helped offset geopolitical uncertainty linked to the Middle East, according to the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research. The Taiwan business sentiment indicators showed broad-based improvement across key sectors. TIER’s manufacturing climate gauge rose 0.93 points to 97.14, while the services index increased 0.54 points to 96.73. The con

Singapore’s economy grew 6% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, beating an earlier official estimate of 4.6%, supported by wholesale trade, manufacturing and finance as artificial intelligence-related demand boosted exports. The Singapore Q1 GDP figures also showed the economy expanded 1% quarter on quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, reversing an advance estimate of a 0.3% contraction. The Ministry of Trade and Industry maintained its 2026 growth forecast at betwe

Hong Kong has approved 36 company re-domiciliation applications since launching the regime nearly a year ago, according to the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau. The Hong Kong re-domiciliation regime was introduced to attract overseas-incorporated companies seeking to relocate their legal domicile to the city while maintaining operational continuity. Authorities said another 21 applications are currently being processed by the Companies Registry. The approved compani

Hong Kong’s role as an international financial and regional business hub will continue strengthening despite geopolitical tensions, according to Hong Kong Trade Development Council chairman Frederick Ma. The Hong Kong financial hub outlook remains supported by the city’s free flow of information and its mature banking, capital markets, accounting and legal ecosystem, Ma said during a public event. He added that foreign companies still largely prefer Hong Kong as a location fo

Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has proposed updated regulations for electronic stock market transactions as authorities seek to modernise the framework governing online securities trading. The Vietnam online securities trading reforms would replace rules introduced in 2017 and later amended in 2020. The draft circular introduces provisions covering electronic know-your-customer verification, electronic contracts, transaction authentication and API-based connectivity between se

Standard Chartered has raised its 2026 growth forecast for Taiwan to 9.5% from 7.6%, citing stronger-than-expected first-quarter expansion and surging artificial intelligence demand that is boosting exports, semiconductor production and investment. The Taiwan AI economy outlook follows first-quarter GDP growth of 13.7% year on year, marking the fastest quarterly expansion in nearly four decades. The bank said exports surged 35.3% during the quarter as global demand for AI-rel

Hong Kong plans to launch a government-owned gold-clearing system by July as the city seeks to strengthen its role as a global bullion trading hub and diversify financial market infrastructure. The Hong Kong gold clearing system will reportedly mirror London’s bullion-market model by allowing settlement through unallocated accounts, enabling faster and more scalable trading without assigning specific numbered bars. People familiar with the matter said trial operations are exp

Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan has begun a five-day European tour aimed at attracting global capital and strengthening the city’s role as an international financial hub. The Hong Kong asset managers outreach programme began in Paris, where Chan met representatives of French asset management association AFG and think tank Asia Centre. According to the South China Morning Post, the trip forms part of Hong Kong’s broader push to expand its wealth management industry, wi

Japan’s economy grew an annualised 2.1% in the first quarter, outperforming market expectations and extending the country’s recovery before rising Middle East energy prices clouded the outlook. The Japan Q1 GDP figures showed real gross domestic product rose 0.5% from the previous quarter, exceeding forecasts for a 0.4% increase. Private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan’s economy, rose 0.3%, while capital expenditure also increased 0.3%. Net external de